Film cameras
Kodak Signet 30 User manual
User manual for Kodak Signet 30. 33 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
33 pagesEnglish1.9 MB PDF
Loading your manual…Open PDF directly
Document details
- Brand
- Kodak
- Model / document
- Kodak Signet 30
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 33
- File size
- 1.9 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
Search available document text
Find a term, then jump to its page in the original PDF. Image-only pages may not be searchable; check the PDF for exact wording and diagrams.
Page 4 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
You can be proud that you're now the
owner of one of Kodak's finest cam-
eras. Your new Kodak Signet 30 Cam-
era will give excellent results - if you
will spend a few minutes getting ac-
quainted with it. As you're reading KOOAT( GAt|ERA
these instructions, keep the camera
handy; then practice each operation as
it appears in the manual.
Before making any important pic-
tures - a trip or some special event - contents
shoot a magazine of film, including a Loading6
few flash pictures. Should you then Unloading9
have any questions,your Kodak dealer KodakFilm 10
will be glad to help you. ExposureSettings 12
DistanceSettings i o For those who are familiar with UsingtheViewfinder18
cameras the quick operating steps Takingthe Picture 20
found on the next four pages may be FlashPictures22
sufficient to use the camera. PhotoAids 29
T. M. Reg. U. S" Pot. Ofr.View original page 4Page 9 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com locks - this takes several full strokes of the lever. The first frame of film will then be in position and the EXposuREcouNTER will be automatically set at 1. The counter will move a mark each time the film is ad- vanced trp to exposure "36." It will show the number of exposures made. Note: Neither the exposurecounter nor the shutter releasewill operate unless film for exposure "L" is in position.View original page 9
Page 10 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com U N L O A D I N G - N e v e r i n b r i g h t , d i r e c t t i g h t After the last exposure, and before the back is opened, it is necessaryto rewind the film into the ma guiine. Hold the camera in the left hand with the rewind knob toward you and the lens up. pull the rewind knob out until you feel resistance (about y4 inch). www.orphancameras.com Push the REwTND RELEASEin the direction of the arrow and hold the releasewhile turning the rewind knob clockwise, in the direction of the arrow, until the film is completely rewound into the maga- zine. The film is completely rewound when you feel a lessening of tension on the rewind knob. Open the camera back; this automatically returns the exposure counter to E (empty). Raise the rewind knob fully and remove the film magazine.View original page 10
Page 11 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
Supplied with your camera, are 8 exposure value cards
(one for each of the 8 Kodak color and black-and-
white 35mm films). One side of the card shows expo-
sures for the five most cornmon outdoor lighting con-
ditions; the other side gives the exposures for flash
shots, using }d-2 or No. 5 or 25 flash bulbs. Slip the
proper exposure card, for the film you are using, into
the holding frame on the back of the camera. The re- EXPOSURE
cess is deep enough to hold two cards, if desired. SETTTNGS The cards also show what kind of film you have in
the camera. The number in the upper right corner of
the card (10 for Kodachrome Film for Daylight) is the
exposure index.
Select the proper exposure from the card.
On the face of the sHUTTERspEED RING there is a
scale of red exposure values from 5 to 17.
Normally this ring is linked with the IE,NSonENING
L2View original page 11Page 12 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
Transfer the exposure value
number obtained from the
,* shutterexposurespeedvaluering.card to the
black-and-whitefilms include a
even under adverse conditions.
number higher than indicated_
film and Bright Sun. With color
exposurevalue numbers given
L3View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
RrNG.To line up the red dot index with the exposure value num- ?I
ber, depress the lens opening ring sufficiently to disengage it
from the shutter speed ring; rotate the lens opening ring until
the red dot index lines up with the proper exposure value; then 1
let it snap back into position. If you cannot move the index to
the desired exposure because it reaches the limit of its travel,
turn the shutter speed ring sufficiently to allow lining up the
index with the selected exposure value. You can set the index
between numbers. The camera is now set for proper exposure.
Picture Tcking. Before making pictures, a little more must be
learned about your camera - lens opening and shutter speed.
When the exposure value has been set, shutter speed and lens
opening are automatically linked together. Thus a change in
one means that a simultaneous,compensating change is made
in the other. For example: with an exposure value of 12 the
camera is set for a lens opening of ll8 and a shutter speed'!'of
1/60 second (a good setting for outdoor pictures). Supposethis ,*
'i3Donot make intermediateshutter speedsettings. l
l
1f,4View original page 13Page 14 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
combination is not suitable for your subject because you need
a faster speed, such as 11250 second, to stop action. In that
case turn the shutter speed ring until the index is at 250. This
leaves the exposure value 12 but automatically adjusts the lens
opening to f l4 and thus compensates for the faster speed.
on the other hand, if you intend to take a picture which
requires good depth of field, needing a lens opening such as
f l16, r9t{e the speed ring until the index on the lens opening
is at 16. This changes the speed to rll5 second. All exposures
1/15 second and slower, including ,,B,,, demand that the cam_
era be on a firm support, for there is risk of camera movement
at slow shutter speeds.
If you want to set the exposure without reference to the
exposure values, be sure to set the shutter speed first and the
lens opening afterwards. If you reverse the piocedure, changes
in th.e speed will also change th. r..rr opening, duJto _shutter
the linkage between lens opening und shutter rp""d rings.View original page 14Page 15 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
For quick distance settings line up the diamond-
shaped O index under'the appropriate subject zorre,
closE-ups, cRoups, and sceNns, with the triangular A
index. Zone focusing can be used only at lens openings 1I between f I 5.6 and f l8 and smaller.
For careful distance settings-when using lens open-
ings larger than f 15.6- for pictures of nearby objects
DISTANCE -for flash pictures, estimate carefully or measure the
SETTINGS film-to-subject distance and line up the appropriate
footage number with the triangular index.
I
SCENES I
www.orphancameras.comr6View original page 15Page 17 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
When taking pictures, hold the camera close to your
eye so that you can see the complete luminous view-
frame. What is seen within the frame will be in the
picture.
Note the two parallax pointers, one on each side
near the top of the view-frame. The 5 F near the
USING THE upper left corner of the view-frame, when the camera
VIE\^/FINDER is held horizontally, indicates the upper edge of the
picture when the subject is 5 feet from the camera.
The { 3, on the right side, indicates the upper edge
of the picture when the subject is 3 feet from the cam-
era. The part thus eliminated at the top of the frame
is added to the bottom of the frame.
The illustrations at the right show two ways of hold-
ing the camera. Use any method you prefer as long as
the camera is held steady.
1 8View original page 17Page 19 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
I. Set the red index dot to the exposure value number
obtained from the exposure value card.
2. Turn the shutter speed ring to the desired speed
setting or lens opening. For average snapshots set the
shutter speed at "60" (l/60 sec.).
TAKING 3. Set the distance.
THE PICTURE 4. Select the view in the viewfinder.
5. Hold the camera steady; then press the shutter re-
lease lever all the way down with a slow, squeezing
action. If the film has not been advanced to the next
frame and the word wIND appears in the viewfinder,
or if the film leader has not been wound off fully, you
cannot press the release lever.
To advance the film, with the right thumb swing out
20View original page 19Page 20 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
the rapid wind lever one full stroke or several short
ones until it locks; then let the lever return to its orig-
inal position. Now you can press the shutter release
lever.
After you have taken the last picture, the rapid wind
lever locks. The film must be rewound into the masa-
zine before opening the camera. To do this, push
the rewind release in the direction of the arrow
and hold the releasewhile turnins the rewind
knob clockwise, in the direction of the
arrow, until the film is completely
rewound into the mas.azine.
;,.. !;#,View original page 20Page 21 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
Flash pictures, in black-and-white or color, are easy to
make with your camera. The built-in synchronization
of your Kodak Synchro 250 Shutter permits the use
of flash, including electronic flash. Flash bulbs are
fired when the camera shutter is released. Flash ex-
posure data is on one side of the exposure value cards.
Synchronization FLASH
PICTURES The Kodak Synchro 250 Shutter synchronizes No. 5,
No. 25, and M-2 bulbs at speed 30 (1130 second).
Electronic flash (zero-time delay) synchronizes at all
speeds.
The Signet 30 was designed to use flasholders with
Kodalite fittings such as the Kodalite Super-M 40
Flasholder and the Kodak Rotary Flasholder, Model
1. These flasholders do not require the use of a bracket
to attach the flasholder to the camera. Instructions for
using the flasholders are packed with them.
22View original page 21Page 22 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
Making Flash Pictures
l. Kodolite Sup€r-M 4O Flosholder
Insert the No. 5 or 25 or l|d-z flash bulbs into the
socket.
Kodok Rotory Flosholder, Model I
Insert the M-2 flash bulbs into the plastic disc. Note:
2. set the index on the shutterspeedring to 30 (L 130 tDoh e nots o cinsertk e t uan tbulbi l t hine
second).A No. 5 or 25 bulb has a flash duration of flasholdernected to hasthebeencamera.con-
23View original page 22Page 23 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
approximately 1/50 second; an M-2 bulb has a flash
duration of approximately 1/100 second, thus pro-
viding effective stopping of subject movement if most
of the exposure light is provided by the flash.
3. Estimate carefully the distance in feet you are from
the subject and set the lens accordingly.
4. Obtaining Exposure From Exposure Value Card
o. Slip the proper exposure card into the holding
frame, with the Flash Setting side out.
b. Determine the exposure value from the distance ; in feet to the subject and the type flash bulb used.
c. Transfer the exposure value to the shutter speed
ring being sure the speed is 1/30 sec.
5. Hold the camera steady; then press the release lever
all the way down with a slow squeezing action.
24View original page 23Page 24 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com Kodok Generotor Flosholder, Type t This small, compact, pocket-sized flasholder makes its own power-it does not require batteries. A three- quarter spin of the generator handwheel charges the capacitor with ample power to fire the flash bulb. The flasholder accepts M-2, No. 5 or No. 25 bulbs. A di- rect-reading flash calculator, used instead of the ex- posure value cards, is located on the back of the flash- older and shows both "f" and exposure value numbers. Kodok Pocket Flosholder, lype B-I Similar in appearance to the Kodak Generator Flash- older, accepting the same size flash bulbs, and having the same handy flash calculator, this unit is powered by either two Penlite batteries or by a Kodalite Midget B-c Flashpack which uses a 15-volt photoflash bat- tery.View original page 24
Page 25 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
Some of the best pictures are made after the sun sets.
If you have color film in the camera, use flash. With a
magazine of super-fast Kodak Tri-X Film, and the t f /2.9lens on your camera, you can make pictures in
well-lighted rooms. Load the camera with Kodak
PIGTURES Tri-X Film, and set the exposure value at 8 (shutter at
A R O U N D T H E 30 and lens opening at f 12.8).
GLOGK When the light is too dim to take a picture at 4 (V+
second), then make a long exposure by using the "8"
shutter setting. At this setting, the shutter stays open
as long as the shutter release is held down. For long
exposures, use a Kodak Metal Cable Release No. 5 in
the socket on the shutter housing. Place the camera
on a firm support such as the edge of a table, or use a
Kodak Flexiclamp.
26View original page 25Page 26 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com Reflectionsf rom wet
pavementsor water are
spectacularat night.
q*
Familiarscenesaround
the homeadda realhigh-
lightto youralbum.
Silhouettescan be strik-
ing when a little fore-
thoughtgoes into their
composition.
A shotlike this makesa
n i c e C h r i s t m a sc a r d
scene.View original page 26Page 27 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
o Your Kodak Signet 30 Camera is a fine, ruggedly
built, precision instrument. So protect it from dust and
dirt and avoid rough handling. IJse a rubber syringe to
blow out any dust that may accumulate inside the cam-
era. If any of the lenses need cleaning, first brush or
blow away any grit or dust. Wipe the surface gently
with Kodak Lens Cleaning Paper. If necessary, use
GARE OF Kodak Lens Cleaner.
THE GAMERA o The tinted appearance of the lens is due to Lumen-
izing .. . a special hard coating applied to all air-glass
surfaces. This increases light transmission and de-
creases internal reflections, thus improving the bril-
liance of black-and-white pictures and the color purity
of color films.
o Do not attemptto makeany repairsor removeany partsfrom
the shutter,lens,or camera.Neveroil the shutteror any parts
of the camera.lf you find that the camerarequiresservice,re-
turn it to yourphotodealerwhowill haverepairsmadelocally,or
sendit to Kodak.
28View original page 27Page 28 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com
KodakSignet30 Filters
FieldCase TheKodakSignet30 Cameraaccepts
This de luxe, top-grain Series5 KodakFiltersandCombina-
leather case combines tion Lens Attachmentsdirectly.
practicalprotectionwith KodakFilter Kit, No. 10444.For
drop-awayfront conveni- C0L0RFILMS,the kit containsa
ence. Openingson the KodakSkylightFilter(No.1N to add
side of the casepermit warmthto oicturestaken in the
PHOTO AIDS attachingthe flasholder openshadeor on overcastdays.A
with the camerain the KodakDaylightFilter(No.85C)is in-
case. Strap inside top cludedfor convertingindoorTypeF
holds exposure value color films for outdooruse. For
cards. BLACK-AND-WHITEFILMS,the kit
containsa PictorialYellowFilterfor
accentingclouds.
You'll have a lot more
fun with your Signet 30
Camera, when you use
some of the products
picturedin this section.
29View original page 28Page 29 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com Kodak300Projector KodaslideSignet500 Projector,Model2 Choiceof two models.Here'sthe newest 500-wattlampfor brilliantpictures- in projectors.Theprojectorcomescom- permitsviewingevenin a lightedroom. pletein a self-carryingcase,hasfinger- Choiceof the easy-to-operateKodak tip knobcontrolsfor focusand eleva- ReadymaticChanger or Automatic tion,andweighsonly9 lbs.Thechanger Changer.See this projectorat your acceptsup to 36 cardboardmounts.A photodealer. short,high efficiency,300-wattprojec- tion lampgivesbrilliantpictures. 30View original page 29
From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.